A Long Island school has canceled its traditional end-of-year kindergarten show — saying the children can’t afford to take time off from getting themselves “college and career’’ ready.

“The reason for eliminating the Kindergarten show is simple,” reads a letter sent by the principal at Harley Avenue Primary School in Elwood, Suffolk County, to parents last week. “We are responsible for preparing children for college and career with valuable lifelong skills and know that we can best do that by having them become strong readers, writers, coworkers and problem solvers.”

The annual kiddie assembly, featuring 5- and 6-year-olds, was supposed to be held on May 14 and 15.

Roughly 1,400 people signed an online petition against the cancellation.

“She doesn’t really understand it — she wants to sing,’’ said Ninette Gonzalez Solis, whose daughter, Gabriela, 6, is a kindergartner at the school.

The letter, which was sent by interim Principal Ellen Best-Laimit and four teachers, says, “It is most important to keep in mind is [sic] that this issue is not unique to Elwood. What and how we teach is changing to meet the demands of a changing world.”